Chapter 78 - The carriage mirror

— Is there anything else you remember?

Sometimes talking seemed easy. Leonardo pondered whether to answer truthfully or not. Honestly, he didn't feel as terrified as the other time he had been there, but he was still uncomfortable. At least he had found a way to hold it together, as long as he thought about things other than that night.

However, the question asked by Giovani pushed him back to those memories.

Scratching the back of his head looking undecided on how to answer, the boy sighed defeatedly looking towards the train carriages.

— I remember getting into one of the carriages.

Giovani stared at the train carriage, stopping in front of the closed sliding door. Looking over his shoulder, he made sure Leonardo was nearby and then opened the door. The dust and woody smell was intense, forcing them both to cover their noses.

— I thought it would be cleaner.

— And why would it be? — Leonardo asked with a grimace.

— Your secretary keeps getting in and out of this carriage.

Petrified, Leonardo forced himself to hide his surprise, which was a real challenge. He had no idea that there would be someone coming round frequently, apart from the policemen. And it was precisely the person he was trying to clear him of. That clown couldn't keep his nose out of the detective's?

— Vicente?

— He's coming to pick up some boxes of costumes and documents — Giovani commented, peering into the carriage — The other time I came here, this carriage was clogged.

Squeezing his fingers, Leonardo mustered up the courage to peek inside the wagon as well. There was only one object he remembered having in a wagon, and chances were it had already been stolen. With such conviction, he found the courage to also peek inside the wagon, finding piles of woody boxes and cloths scattered in a mess in that space.

A sigh of relief escaped his lips without having any trigger in there. With more confidence Leonardo stepped into the wagon, looking around curiously.

— Vicente showed me some boxes, but I thought he had taken them from the mansion's storeroom. I didn't know that the train was made of storage.

— They look like junk — Giovani mumbled as he pulled a spider out of a cloth — If the kidnapper is bringing his victims here to do something, then he's more disgusting than I thought.

— Do something? What kind of thing?

— I'm suspecting he's murdering people — the detective replied, staring at the ground as if looking for something — I was thinking of bringing in sniffer dogs to clean up the grounds and find a possible spawning site.

Leonardo tried hard to look surprised by the detective's hypothesis. Perhaps if it had been a few months ago, this conversation would have scared him beyond belief, but something had changed.

Leonardo had changed.

He was not afraid. On the contrary, he could feel himself getting anxious as he realised that Giovani was getting closer and closer to the truth. He felt as if he were the criminal himself, following his enemy just to revel in his progress. Waiting for the moment when he would look back in terror of discovering the truth.

Though Leonardo had no blood on his hands. Only in his conscience knowing he asked Ray to do the dirty work. Unfortunately, he had no idea how the magician had handled the situation, and perhaps not knowing was a good thing to avoid suspicion.

Preferring to keep quiet, Leonardo continued to look around, shying away from the conversation. The detective could interpret it as discomfort on his part, it wouldn't be a problem. As he ran away from the conversation, his dark eyes found something hidden behind the boxes.

— What was that?

Giovani looked in the same direction and approached the boxes, making the thing almost fall. Holding it fast, the detective leaned it against the wall with some difficulty.

— It's heavy — the detective complained, then pulled away the cloth covering the object — It's a mirror.

Leonardo's heart beat fast as he saw his own reflection in the mirror. The ringing of a mobile phone had sounded so low in his ears, he hadn't even heard it when Giovani told him he was going to answer it outside the carriage. All Leonardo did was stare in amazement at that mirror, feeling strange and unpleasant sensations coursing through his body.

"— The puppet is here. I keep it on this train, because it is too precious. But Uncle will show it to you two, just don't tell anyone, okay?"

"— Lucca, it's very dark here. I'm scared."

"— It's okay, Leo. I'll protect you, trust me."

Ah.

That's right.

They had been tricked into going to that wagon.

Lowering his head, Leonardo noticed that his body remembered the dread he had felt that night. When everything suddenly went dark, and his only certainty was that his brother was at his side, holding his hand. However, when they were forced to let go, Leonardo began to scream.

Looking at the corner of the wagon, Leonardo was about to go crazy again.

That's right.

It was in that corner that he was almost touched by that criminal.

He remembered that he started to cry looking for his brother until he felt something warm envelop him. He only opened his eyes when he was hugged, realising that he was no longer on the train.

Yes, that had happened.

Something magical and fantastical had happened that horrendous night.

It was in that frightening place that Leonardo met the fourth person. The one whose face seemed to be hidden by shadows, although his demonic smile was the only thing visible.

Turning to face the mirror in front of him, Leonardo saw a tall man wearing a top hat in place of his reflection. The mischievous smile was familiar. In fact, all the malice in his countenance was familiar.

It was something that haunted him in his dreams.

It was him!

It was definitely him!

Now, that malice had a face. A beautiful face, by the way. Very similar to Vicente's, if it wasn't for the long dark hair tied up and the reddish eyes like Ray's. The bloke staring back at him in the mirror caused him great discomfort.

The chap staring back at him in the mirror caused him immense discomfort. Leonardo's hands were frozen to the point where his strength was sapped and his legs were as stiff as jelly. He would have fallen on his bum if it hadn't been for someone holding him from behind.

— What is this? Is this some kind of magic mirror trick?

Ah it was Giovani's voice. Was he seeing the same thing as Leonardo?

So... It wasn't a trick.

Leonardo knew in his heart that it was no trick.

— It's him — the boy finally murmured, gaining Giovani's attention — He was there that night. He's the one who killed Lucca.

The malicious grin of the mirrored figure only grew wider. Giovani stared at the bloke intently, not seeming to know what to do. Gritting his teeth, his arms held Leonardo firmly and lifted him onto his lap.

— Let's get out of here first before you pass out!

Turning their backs to the mirror, they did not see the hand reaching out of the mirror about to reach them. The gloved hand would have grabbed Giovani's belt, if not for another hand emerging from the mirror and grabbing his wrist.

As soon as Giovani and Leonardo were out of the carriage, the second figure appeared in the mirror. A little boy with dark hair as well as his eyes, smiled at the taller one with a mischievous grin. He looked like innocence itself as he held the stuffed rabbit, but the sharp look he cast at the other chap in the hat had its share of intimidation.

— This is cheating, you know. Our bet's not over yet, Diablo.

{...}

— Are you all right, boy?

Leonardo took a deep breath, wanting to stick his head in a hole. Not only had he shown his cowardice, he had been carried by the detective. What could be more shameful than that?

— I'm fine, Giovani. Thanks.

— What was that? A magic mirror like that would be a huge success.

— A magic mirror... It's definitely some kind of bad joke — murmured Leonardo, staring at his own hand, which was gradually warming up again. — That mirror has always been there.

— I see. And are you sure about that bloke? Do you know him by any chance?

Leonardo felt his stomach churn, but being away from that wagon was enough to calm him down.

— I don't know who he is, but I remember him clearly that night.

— Are you sure? Maybe he's a relative of your secretary's, as they look quite similar.

— First it was that abuser and then it was Lucca. Yes. I remember it well now.

His heart was racing and his mind kept replaying the memories of that night. Memories that weren't so clear before, and didn't need to be either, since Leonardo didn't want to remember it. However, he was now quite sure that the fourth presence was that handsome, elegant chap.

He would never forget the malice he exuded.

— Let's go back to the mansion, boy. You need to rest.

The stroking he received on his head brought him back to reality. Leonardo stood up with Giovani's help, and the small talk they had on the way back was a great way to calm his nerves. Even though Leonardo still had that discomfort rooted in his bones, he let himself be carried away by the detective's kindness in trying to calm him down.

Even so, his concern grew.

Why did that chap look so much like Vicente?

Why was he inside the mirror?

Who was he?

All the questions seemed to circle and mock his ignorance. Leonardo looked like a manipulable fool, going from one place to another looking for an answer that would never come. And in the course of that game, all he got were traumas that made him want to get out of there.

The only reason he didn't think deeply about it all was because of Giovani. His attempt to pretend that everything was fine really worked.

To their surprise, Benjin was waiting against the door of the mansion. Leonardo immediately recognised the jealousy in that frown, imagining that this scenario was similar to a wife catching her husband cheating. Not that he had cheated on Benjin, but he had done something hidden from him.

Ah, one day the guilt would kill him.

— Where were you guys?

— On the train — Giovani answered simplistically, with Benjin becoming even more suspicious of the two — I took the boy to help me with the investigation, is there a problem?

— Leonardo doesn't have to go to the train. Why do you insist on making him remember things that should be forgotten?

— It's all right, Ben. I'm the one who asked him to go there.

Benjin sighed heavily and walked over to his lover holding his hands.

— Are you all right, Leo? You look a bit pale.

— I'm fine, don't worry.

— Don't lie to your boyfriend, you almost fainted when you saw that magic mirror.

Benjin's hands squeezed Leonardo's. Stranging the reaction, the brunette intertwined his fingers with the puppet's, hoping it would gain his attention. However, the greenish pearls continued to show surprise.

— Magic mirror? On the train? Have you seen anyone?

It was Giovani's turn to show his suspicion by crossing his arms.

— How do you know?

Quickly Benjin held Leonardo's face, looking at him directly and intensely.

— Are you really all right, Leo? You're not hurt? Do you feel anything strange?

He was worried. How could he calm his fiancé down? He didn't want to see Benjin make that face, it was heartbreaking. Opening a tender smile, and feeling his cheeks warm at Benjin's touch, Leonardo found a way to appease his lover.

— I'm all right now, Ben.

— Go and rest, boy. Don't worry about the train any more, all right?

— All right. Thanks for coming with me, Giovanni. I hope I've been of some help in the investigations.

— Leave the rest to me.

Agreeing, Leonardo took Benjin's hand and pulled him into the mansion. There was something more important to be done now.

— Come on, Ben.

He imagined that as soon as he stepped into his room, he could take a hot shower and throw himself on the bed looking forward to a few hours' rest, however, Benjin seemed to have other plans.

In fact, they barely made it to their room.

It was in the middle of the corridor inside the mansion that Benjin cornered Leonardo against the wall, keeping a minimal distance between their faces. So serious as to be worrying, the puppet held his young master's chin about to kiss him.

— When you found the mirror, were you frightened by what you saw?

Benjin wasn't going to ask him about what he saw in the mirror, but if he felt afraid?. Leonardo was surprised by the question, although he was also curious to know what he would do when he received the answer.

— I was terrified.

— Will you allow me to suck every drop of your fear?

Tilting his head, Leonardo believed that his lover was as worried as ever. Perhaps this was just Benjin's way of distracting him, but with a certain drama. After all, the other time he had even fainted. It seemed Leonardo only made the people in the mansion worry. Wrapping his arms around his shoulders, the young master smiled at his fiancé.

— Make yourself at home, Ben.

When their mouths touched, Leonardo felt the same sensation he felt when Benjin was there. First the wave of desire washing over him, followed by his mind being covered in a mist, letting him drift in the ocean. It was so relaxing that Leonardo couldn't help but tighten his embrace and return the kiss as if he were giving himself away.

Every time he kissed him, it was as if his worries dissipated, leaving him free.

This moment was no different.

Opening his eyes again, Leonardo could no longer remember what the dread of before had been. All that remained was physical tiredness and the slight happiness of seeing Benjin's embarrassed face.

— Thank you for the meal, Leo.